1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a modular construction system and a corresponding method of erecting structures particularly useful for the average homeowner or "do-it-yourself" builder. More particularly, it is directed toward a prefabricated modular construction member which presents holes therethrough at particularly predetermined spacings to receive connectors, is adaptable to be cut into different lengths, and thereby enables rapid and precision assembly into a finished concatenated structure capable of future reconfiguration and expansion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One of the favorite past-times of many homeowners is the tailoring of their residences and yards to meet their personal preferences and to express their own unique personalities and abilities. Although some people would prefer to hire professionals to do this work for them, there are many who would prefer to do such work themselves because of a sense of personal pride in the accomplishment of the task, to economize on the cost of the project, and for other reasons.
Among the many types of projects which may be undertaken are the design and building of concatenated structures such as planters, decks, children's playhouses, or storage facilities. These structures may enhance the beauty and value of the property and provide additional living and work space, as well as providing challenges and opportunities for personal expression. These projects are frequently constructed of lumber or rough timber as it is accessible and may be worked more readily than metal or stone. However, there are an increasing number of homeowners who lack the time, tools, talent or temperament necessary to tackle a construction project using dimension lumber or timbers as their starting material.
There have been many attempts in recent years to develop various premanufactured construction systems out of lumber products geared toward the average "do-it-yourselfer", particularly with large timbers such as landscape logs. In many instances, these products achieve noteworthy results, but in other instances fail to provide the working materials needed to achieve a particular goal.
One system heretofore developed is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,585, which uses a landscape timber module of a predetermined length and width with two flat surfaces and a plurality of uniformly spaced holes. This timber module is useful for constructing curvilinear berms and planters, but the single diameter hole without stopping means, long connectors requiring field fabrication in various lengths and lack of a module with only one hole significantly limits the usefulness of this module for above grade applications. The teaching of this invention does not recognize the advantages of arranging modules in overlapping, vertically spaced relationships nor does it recognize the advantages of using premanufactured, short, loose-fitting connectors which are either supplemented with mechanical connectors or specially adapted to resist vertical separation of the landscape timbers.
Both U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,955 and 5,168,678 disclose a landscaping structure with overlapping corner joints. These modules are useful for landscaping but are not readily adapted for creating openings between the timbers for playhouses and the like and may require irregular hole spacings or complex end shapes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,994 discloses another type of landscape timber utilizing a ball and socket joint to provide angled walls, but does not provide the ventilation or hole spacing which makes it readily adaptable to open construction.
Because of the complex shapes of the ends of the modules and/or the irregularities of the holes or spacings in the modules of these systems, the modules would need to be prefabricated in a number of different lengths. Field fabrication of complex shapes or particular spacings for a large quantity of modules in the various lengths which might be required by an end-user would defeat the module concept and not be practical. The necessity of fabricating, packaging, maintaining an inventory and selling modules of various lengths is a serious drawback to the economic viability of these systems and many other similar modular construction systems.
Currently, non-earth-contact structures such as children's playhouses are problems which present limited options for the do-it-yourself builder. Such a builder can either design and erect a structure from existing materials, such as landscape timbers or dimension lumber, or purchase and assemble a prefabricated kit. The option of designing and building a custom play structure definitely provides an opportunity for creative expression for the parent-builder, but as mentioned above, there are an increasing number of homeowners who do not have the time, tools, talent or temperament necessary for this option. The limited number of homeowners who do accept this challenge and complete a custom structure with conventional lumber products often find that the novelty of the static structure is soon gone, or the children may grow and require a larger playhouse.
Most parents thus resort to the option of purchasing a prefabricated structure or a kit with a multitude of different components and connecting hardware which can only be assembled into a single configuration. However, many children, like their parents, would prefer to express their individuality with a unique, customized playhouse, fort or clubhouse of their own making. The fancy "gingerbread" of a prefabricated plastic playhouse is no substitute for the personal satisfaction of expressing one's own budding engineering and construction talent. Another disadvantage of most prefabricated play structures is that they are typically fairly permanent structures which can only be assembled into a single configuration. Even the most elaborate of commercially available structures soon lose their novelty and are short-lived in their ability to fulfill the imagination and appetite of most children for new challenges and adventures.
There are also a number of different log-cabin type construction systems with various configurations of notched or specially designed interlocking ends which could be used for the construction of children's playhouses, but none of these have enjoyed very broad commercial success for playhouse applications. These systems typically have the same disadvantages as the aforementioned retaining wall systems. The specialized ends and/or other design features of the systems often require the end user to purchase a number of different lengths of factory fabricated components or expend a considerable amount of time and effort field fabricating connections. Additionally, these systems are generally limited to square or rectangular structures since the components can only be interconnected in an orthogonal relationship and many systems are limited to solid wall structures which do not allow for the introduction of natural light and ventilation and require considerably more components than concatenated structures with vertical spaces between parallel members. Finally, these structures have limited flexibility of redesign, or future modification or expansion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,203 to Rothenburg disclosed a toy construction kit of kraft paper blocks or logs with notched ends which could be interlocked in orthogonal, vertically spaced relationships to create a playhouse with spaces between the logs. However, it may be appreciated that a structure constructed in accordance with the teachings of this patent has a number of limitations. The components of Rothenburg are made of a material (kraft paper) which is unsuitable for outdoor applications and weather conditions, especially when exposed to precipitation. These components have limited structural capabilities which limits the design flexibility of the system; that is, larger structures with multiple floor levels and large structural spans are not an option. Furthermore, these components can only be interconnected at their ends in overlapping, orthogonal, vertically spaced relationships which significantly limits the design flexibility of the system, preventing or inhibiting the use of angled or curved walls, sloping walls, stairs, roofs, or the like. In addition, cantilevering members to form overhangs, soffits, or the like is not possible. Finally, the system cannot be fabricated from a single article of manufacture, and requires components of particular lengths and configurations. Thus, separate purchase of exactly the right components is required, with inventorying and storage of both flat panels and components of various lengths.